Blood Is Thicker Than Water
by SoBadAtBeingGood
Summary: A Republic City Fic. When his daughter's life is put in danger, Aang discovers the power blood can have. A four-part story.
1. Chapter 1

**As stated in the summary, this will be a 4-part story. I've read a lot of stories exploring the potential relationship between Aang and his daughter, Kya, and it's inspired me to write a story of my own!**

**I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I've enjoyed writing it. I'm actually rather pleased with how it's turned out.**

**Enjoy Chapter 1!**

* * *

Kya sat in the back of the classroom, trying desperately not to fall asleep as her history teacher droned on about the various assassination attempts that had been made against Firelord Zuko in the first few years of his reign. While the other students seemed to find the subject extremely fascinating and 'cool', Kya wasn't really interested in imagining the various ways individuals had tried to kill her surrogate uncle. In fact, Kya was really tired of hearing the in-depth versions of the Hundred Year War, the Harmony Restoration Movement, and the founding of the United Republic of Nations. Especially when she knew more about the subjects than her quack of a teacher.

Master Song was an older woman who had probably never smiled in her entire life. She had been a refugee in Ba Sing Se during and after the war, so she did have some personal insight when it came to the state of Ba Sing Se during those times. However, she seemed to speculate about all the other aspects of the conclusion of the war and the HRM.

As if to prove the point, Master Song suddenly said, "As a result of these assassination attempts, Firelord Zuko suffered a temporary mental breakdown. He stopped the removal of Fire Nation citizens from Earth Kingdom colonies, calling the Harmony Restoration Movement off. When Avatar Aang confronted him about this, Firelord Zuko once again attempted to kill the Avatar - "

"_What?!_" Kya exclaimed. "That never happened!"

All of her peers turned in their seats to look at her while Master Song was stuttering the in front of the classroom. "P-pupil Kya, you will raise your _hand_ if you have a question or comment!"

"Sorry," Kya said sincerely, "But Firelord Zuko never tried to kill the Avatar! Well..." she amended, "... not after the war ended... Besides!" she quickly added, "He called the Movement off because he didn't want to separate families, not because he had a mental breakdown!"

"Now, Kya," Master Song said condescendingly, "That might be your opinion..."

"My _opinion_?!"

"... but that doesn't mean you can just shoot down other points of view. It's rude and unnecessary."

The waterbender grit her teeth together. This wasn't the first time Master Song had shot Kya down. Master Song had the tendency to throw everything Fire Nation related into a darker light than Kya thought it deserved. Yes, the Fire Nation did a lot of awful things during the war, but that didn't mean all firebenders were inherently bad. Which Master Song constantly implied.

Before Kya could form a rebuttal, a boy named Suluk raised his hand and said, "Master Song... considering the Avatar is Kya's _father_... can't we safely assume that she probably knows what she's talking about?"

Almost everyone (including Kya) stared at him. Suluk had _never_ spoken out against a teacher. It was part of the reason all of his teachers loved him: because he was both brilliant _and_ a suck-up. He was the school's golden child. Which is why everyone was shocked at this sudden outburst.

Kya was shocked for slightly different reasons. If it were anyone else, Kya would have assumed that person was just trying to suck-up to her. Not a day went by that someone _didn't_ try to win the favor of the Avatar's daughter. However, Suluk had always to talked down to her in the past. They've even had a few heated arguments that had almost come to blows. Coming to her defense was the the last thing she expected from him.

Master Song sputtered out a few false starts before going completely silent. For the first time since Kya started the class, Master Song seemed to have nothing to say. She just turned around and continued with the lesson as though she had never been interrupted.

While most of her peers' attention had returned to the lesson, Kya spotted Suluk looking at her from across the room. When he realized he had her attention, he smiled. Kya blushed and smiled back, realizing for the first time how handsome he was. _Thank you_, she mouthed. He responded with a shrug, like he was silently saying it was no big deal.

Kya's smile widened. _Maybe I should try and get to know him a little better..._

* * *

"What are you smiling about?" Bumi asked suspiciously.

Kya, who hadn't even realized she was smiling, forced her lips into a neutral position. "None of your business."

"Uh huh..." Bumi leaned against the wall next to his sister. They were standing outside of the primary school, waiting for Tenzin to come out. Bumi usually hated having to escort Tenzin to and from school everyday, but no doubt he saw an opening to torment his sister for a bit. "I don't suppose it has anything to do with that Northern Water Tribe boy, does it?"

Kya visibly flinched. "What? How...?"

"Oh _please_... like anything can happen to us without the whole school knowing within an hour."

While this was very true, she didn't realize that her recent... relations... with Suluk had become public knowledge yet. Afterall, she hadn't even _done_ much with Suluk since the incident with Master Song. They had spend some time before and after school talking about their families and other random topics (mostly Suluk's family since, well... he already knew all about _her_ family). They had also skipped a couple classes, namely Master Song's class, to hang out behind the school. On top of that, they usually spent lunches together...

Okay, so maybe it was a little stupid of her to not realize that people would start talking. She rolled her eyes and sighed. "Well, not that it's any of your _business_, but I was asked out on a date tonight."

Bumi stared at her for a moment before snorting into his hand, trying to hold back his laughter.

Kya glared at her brother. "And what is so funny, Mr. Bumi-raang?"

"C'mon, Kya! You don't really think Mom and Dad are going to let you go on a _date_, do you?"

Kya shrugged. "I'm fifteen. It would be ridiculous if they didn't. 'Sides, Mom's constantly telling me to bring someone home..."

Bumi rolled his eyes. "Sure, maybe Mom will be okay with it. But _Dad_? He's barely okay with you spending time alone with Yuen, and he's our _cousin_!"

Kya maintained her glare, not wanting to concede her point, regardless of the fact that he was right. While the Avatar was generally an easy-going sort of father, he was also fiercely protective of his children. It had only been within the last year that she had been allowed to visit friends without an escort of Air Acolytes. So... yes. Trying to convince her father to allow her to go on a date might be a bit of a challenge.

"Kya! Bumi!" Tenzin was waving at them to get their attention. He was dressed in his usual Air Nomad garb, though still had a head of hair as he was still not willing to go completely bald yet. He seemed to be struggling with something, and when came around the short wall that separated them, Kya saw that he was dragging a large box. "Can you help me carry this?" Tenzin asked pleadingly.

Bumi opened the box and peered inside. "What's all this crap?"

"It's not crap," Tenzin replied indignantly. "It's _art_. It's close to the end of the year so Master Jin said we could take it all home."

Bumi curled his lip in mock disgust. "I'm sure Mom'll be _thrilled_..."

Tenzin shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot. "So... are you gonna help me carry it?"

"Of course," Kya said, gripping the other side of the box. "It's not like it's that far to the port."

Bumi grumbled his discontent, but begrudgingly grabbed the back side of the box. Between the three of them, it wasn't that heavy, and they made it to their dock at their usual time. Once they loaded up their little boat, Kya waterbent it forward out of the port and toward Air Temple Island.

Tenzin stood at the bow and leaned forward into the rushing air. "I think Dad's gonna let me start flying soon!" he shouted into the wind.

Bumi eyes lit up. "Hmm.. I like the sound of that."

Tenzin turned to his brother, eyes narrowed in suspicion. "What do you mean...?"

Bumi shrugged. "You know... When I have a date, you can fly me in, and I can drop down and I can _sweep_ the girl up into my arms... and into my _heart_," he said dramatically.

The little airbender rolled his eyes. "Airbending techniques are not for showing off. They're sacred and - "

"Blah blah blah," Bumi interrupted. "Like I haven't already heard it a thousand times from _Mom_."

Kya raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about? Mom almost never lectures us about bending. Dad either, for that matter."

"Maybe not you, but I've heard it plenty. Mom seems to think I don't respect the '_ancient forms_'..."

Kya slowed her waterbending down as they approached the dock. "Well... you don't, really."

Bumi rolled his eyes, slouching in his seat. "Whatever," he mumbled.

Tenzin and Bumi started carrying Tenzin's box inside as Kya tied the boat to the dock. She was purposefully taking her time, trying to think of the best way to approach her parents about Suluk. She had told him to meet her on the island at eight, so she needed to get her parents' permission before then.

Standing up, Kya turned toward the island. It was late afternoon, so her father was probably still training Acolytes while her mother was probably cooking dinner. Knowing her father would be the harder nut to crack, she decided to talk to her mother first.

The kitchen was hot and humid from the stove top and boiling water. Kya nearly gagged at the strong smell of stewed sea prunes.

Her mother walked into the kitchen, hair tied into a bun on the back of her head, carrying a couple of cabbages. "Oh, Kya! Good, you're home. Will you cut these up for me? I need to get the chili peppers."

Kya nodded and took the cabbages from her mother. "You're putting _chili peppers_ in?"

Katara rolled her eyes. "Well, you and your father like chili peppers, so I figured it might make hide the taste of the sea prunes."

Kya stuck her tongue out in disgust. "Good luck with that..."

After the cabbages and chili peppers were cut, they were thrown into the pot with various other seasonings. Katara put the lid on and said, "Now we let it sit for a bit. It should be ready in about an hour."

"Great," Kya said nervously. "'Cause there's something I want to talk to you about..."

Katara closed her eyes and sat down with a sigh. "What'd you do _now_?"

Kya quickly shook her head. "I'm not in trouble, I swear." Her mother looked skeptical, but indicated for her to continue. "Well... you see... I've kinda been... well, I mean... I..." Kya paused in her rambling and took a deep breath. "There's this guy..."

Katara immediately perked up. "Really?" she said excitedly. "What's his name? What's he like?"

Kya couldn't help but smile at her mother's enthusiasm. "His name's Suluk. And he's... great," she said with a blush, knowing she sounded like a little school girl. "Anyway, he wants to take me to see this performance tonight and - "

"Tonight? You're already dating this boy and I haven't even _heard_ about him?"

"I mean..." Kya said hesitantly, "We've only been hanging out a lot recently, and he got these tickets for free from his father, and - "

"Whoa, whoa..." Katara interrupted, hand in the air. "Let me get this straight. You're trying to get permission to go on a date with a boy you _barely_ know?"

Kya rolled her eyes. "I haven't actually asked for permission yet... but yes, that's what I was hoping for."

Katara brought her hand up to her face with a sigh. For several long seconds, she didn't say anything, putting Kya on edge. If her mother didn't agree to this, there was no way her father would.

Finally, with another sigh, Katara looked back up at her daughter and gave her a reluctant nod. "Alright. _But_..." she continued as Kya fist-pumped the air, "... only if your father is okay with it, as well."

Kya's expression fell. "Yeah, well that's definitely going to be a challenge..." She peered at her mother hopefully. "Don't suppose you could give me any pointers on how to soften him up?"

"_Oh_ no..." Katara said with a playful smile. "That is a battle you're going to have to fight _a-a-all_ on your own." She looked out the window at the orange and red sky. "What time are you supposed to meet this boy?"

"Eight. I told him to come to the island, since I know you and Dad will probably want to meet him first..."

Katara grunted in affirmation. "You've got that right."

"Mom, _please_ don't scare this guy away," Kya beseeched. "I _really_ like him..."

"Hey," her mother warned, "If your new boyfriend can't handle the idea of an independent woman..."

"No, no, no," Kya quickly said, "I just don't want him to think that you or Dad are going to _kill_ him at any moment."

Katara laughed. "I'll try to be as _un_threatening as possible." She chuckled with afterthought. "I can't make any promises about your father."

Kya slumped in her chair. "Assuming he even lets me go..." she mumbled dejectedly.

Katara stood to check on the sea prunes. "Well, you're never going to know unless you ask. He should be done teaching by now. Go talk to him before he hears about tonight's dinner and his mood goes sour."

Smiling, Kya stood and left the kitchen with a small thank you to her mother. She took a deliberately slow pace toward the training areas, thinking of every possible turn this next conversation could have and carefully wording her possible responses for each and every one.

As she neared her destination, she passed a few lingering Acolytes. She exchanged greetings and a friendly wave with those she recognized and smiled warmly at those she didn't. Thankfully, none of them seemed interested in small talk, so she didn't have to break her line of thought.

Her father was sitting in a lotus position on the grass, looking over the papers in front of him. He didn't look up, but Kya knew that he could 'see' her approach with his earthbending. Knowing her father, he was probably just waiting for Kya to come to him on her own. Realizing how pointless it was to just stand there and wait, Kya took a deep breath and hoped for the best.

"Hey, Dad."

Aang looked up from his papers with a smile. "Hey there, Kya." Airbending himself into a standing position, he gave his daughter a tight, quick hug.

A few years ago, Kya had sworn off all hugs and kisses from her parents, declaring that it was 'childish' and that she should be treated as an adult. However, her overly affectionate father would have none of this and took every opportunity to tackle her to the ground with an overzealous bear hug. While this was embarrassing, it became absolutely mortifying when he did this in front of her cousins. It was after this that they made an agreement. She would allow her father to hug her if and _only_ if there was no one around to see. This _included_ her mother and brothers. While, at fifteen, Kya no longer found physical affection to be merely childish, she still only allowed her father to hug her.

Aang released her from his embrace and held her at arm's length. "How was your day?"

"It was good. Really good. In fact, I actually need to talk to you about something..."

Aang's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "What'd you do now?"

Kya huffed. "Why do you and Mom always assume I'm in trouble?"

Aang eyed his daughter incredulously. "You're joking, right?"

With a resigned sigh, she gave a small nod. "Okay, I admit I tend to get into... _rough_ spots occasionally..."

Aang scoffed. "Kya, I don't think you've _ever_ had a teacher that didn't report you for acting out in class."

"Yeah, well, maybe they should try teaching _facts_ instead of creating their own and shoving them down everybody's throat!" she replied defensively. "I mean, I swear half these people think Zuko causes natural disasters!"

"Ahh..." her father gave a knowing nod, a sad smile on his face. "I see..."

Kya shook her head, looking a little defeated. "I'm just... _really_ tired of everyone demonizing Zuko all the time. They don't even _know_ him."

"The Fire Nation laid siege on the entire world for a hundred years. It's going to take a lot longer than a couple of decades to heal those wounds," Aang reasoned.

"It's not fair... and Zuko doesn't deserve it!"

A small smile adorned her father's face. "No, it's not fair. But trust me when I say that Zuko couldn't care less about the opinions of people like your teachers. He's more preoccupied with trying to quell insurgencies than with creating a positive public image."

Kya let out a sigh. "I guess so..."

"Now..." Aang sat back down on the ground in lotus position, "You wanted to talk to me about something? Something _not_ about you being in trouble?"

Kya smiled as she joined her father on the ground. "Yeah... Well, first, I just want to say that I'm fifteen. I stay out of trouble. For the most part... And my grades in school have been really good."

Her father raised an eyebrow. "Where are you going with this, Kya?"

The young waterbender took a deep breath. It was now or never. "I was wondering... if I could go out tonight."

Aang looked mildly surprised. "Go out? To do what?"

Encouraged that her father didn't immediately reject it, she elaborated. "There's a group of elite waterbenders from the Northern Water Tribe that are going to be performing downtown. I'm friends with Councilman Rouki's son and he asked if I wanted to go with him since his father has free tickets."

"Councilman Rouki's son?" Aang questioned. "I think I remember Rouki mentioning his son once or twice... Sulak, right? And you two will be going to this performance as friends?"

"Suluk..." Kya quietly corrected. "And... it's more of a... _date_... situation..."

Kya could see her father's shoulders stiffen slightly. "I see... and _how_ long have you known this boy?"

"Well... I've _known_ him for months."

Aang gave her a small glare.

"Okay, so it's only been the last week that we've gotten close... Dad..." Kya pleaded. "_Please_ let me go! I'm fifteen! More than old enough to go on a single date!"

"Not in my book," Aang said. "If you want to go out with a group of friends, I don't have a problem with that. But I don't want you wandering around the city at _night_ with a boy you barely know! Maybe in a couple of years, but _not now_."

Kya's eyes narrowed. "Really, Dad? You want to go down that road?"

Aang gave his daughter an exasperated look. "_What_ road?"

Kya leaned back and crossed her arms, a smug smile growing on her face. "How old were you when you started dated Mom?"

"W-what?" Aang sputtered. "Kya, my relationship with your mother has nothing to do with this...!"

"Oh, that's right, you were _twelve_," Kya continued. "Heck, even Mom was only fourteen!"

Aang stuttered for a moment before his voice trailed off into a disgruntled mumble. "That's beside the point..."

"No it's not! The world is so much safer now than it was when _you_ guys were kids!"

"I had known your mother for a _year_," Aang stressed. "We were friends _long_ before we started dating."

Kya leaned forward, grabbing her father's arm earnestly. "Daddy... _please_. Just _one_ date. That's all I'm asking for." She could see her father's defenses breaking down, so she wrapped herself around his arm, leaning her chin on his shoulder. "Please?"

Aang met his daughter's gaze, knowing perfectly well that he was being played. Kya didn't back down, fully determined to get her way.

Finally, her father closed his eyes and sighed. "Alright."

"Oh, thank you, thank you, _thank you_!" Kya exclaimed, wrapping her arms around Aang's neck.

"Yeah, yeah..." Aang wrapped his arms around his daughter. He gave her a squeeze before putting his hands on her shoulders and holding her at arm's length. "You owe me."

A bit giddy that she was able to get her father's permission, she nodded enthusiastically. "Of course, Dad!" She leapt forward again, giving her father another hug. "I love you."

Aang smiled. "I love you, too, Kya."

* * *

**So what did you all think so far? Leave a review letting me know :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Well, people seemed to like the first chapter, which is good since it was relatively bland :P My only hope is that you guys will enjoy the remaining chapters just as much.**

**Enjoy Chapter 2!**

* * *

"I'm surprised," Katara said casually.

Bending the excess water off the plate his was holding, Aang replied, "About what?"

It was after dinner. Kya had practically flown from the table to go to the dock and wait for Suluk, even though they weren't expecting him for another hour. In the meantime, Katara and Aang washed the dishes and cleaned up the kitchen while Bumi and Tenzin went off to take care of the bison puppies.

Katara gave her husband a knowing look. "I'm surprised that you actually gave Kya the okay for this date." Aang hummed in response. "You're usually hyper-protective of the kids. Especially Kya."

"Well... she _is_ fifteen," he responded flatly.

"Uh-huh." Katara handed the last plate to Aang and got started on putting the dried dishes away. "So... you're okay with this?"

"I wouldn't say _that_." Aang put down the last plate, crossed his arms, and leaned back against the kitchen counter. "But I don't think Kya would be particularly excited at the prospect of never going on a date. Ever. No matter how much I'd like that."

Katara laughed. "Who would have thought _you'd_ be the type to want to keep his daughter permanently sheltered from boyfriends? Remember when people used to say that _we_ were too young to date?"

Aang shook his head disbelievingly. "I don't know _how_ your father could stand it."

"As I recall, he gave you one _heck_ of a talking-to almost immediately after the war ended."

"Oh, I remember... It was almost as terrifying as facing Ozai. But now that I _have_ a daughter... I can only look back on it in understanding," he said wistfully.

Dishes put away, Katara turned and wrapped her arms around Aang's neck, leaning in with a smile. "Well, I'm proud of you. For not letting your fatherly instinct hold Kya back from actually having a life." She gave him a small, teasing kiss.

Aang chuckled, resting his hands on Katara's waist. "How proud exactly...?" He returned the kiss, holding it for a moment with a small moan.

Katara leaned back with a breathy chuckle. "Not now, Aang. Suluk's going to be here soon."

"Good. Maybe we can scare him off." He leaned back in for another kiss.

But Katara placed a finger on his lips, halting him. "Really, Aang. You _do_ want to meet this boy before he takes your daughter out, don't you?"

Aang sighed with a small nod. "True." Letting go of his wife in order to avoid temptation, he looked out the window. "He should be here any minute now."

Katara pressed a finger against his chest. "_Try_ not to be too intimidating. I'm sure Kya will appreciate it."

Aang smiled mischievously. "No promises."

* * *

Kya was sitting on the stairs that led to the dock. She really wanted to sit _on_ the dock, but she didn't want to seem too desperate or needy.

Thankfully, her brothers had gone off, so they wouldn't be there to cause a ruckus when Suluk arrived. It was going to be enough of a pain to keep her parents from embarrassing her. Especially her father. While he's given her permission to go on this date, she still wouldn't put it past him to try and scare Suluk off by either telling him stories of some of Kya's less _refined_ moments. Or by pulling the 'I'm the Avatar and I could kill you in a second flat' card.

Of course, Kya was pretty sure that just being the Avatar wasn't enough to scare Suluk away. He was practically apathetic to the fact that she was the Avatar's daughter, so she couldn't imagine him being too intimidated by merely her father's status.

That was part of the reason she liked him.

In the distance, she could see a boat approaching from the mainland. Squealing in a more school-girly manner than she would have liked, Kya jumped up and ran down to meet the boat at the dock.

Her timing was perfect. She got down there just as Suluk was jumping off the boat. He was dressed in unmistakably formal Water Trip clothes. Lined with white fur, it was a mixture of blues, styled reminiscently off of old warrior outfits. Seeing Kya run his way, Suluk smiled and held his arms out, silently inviting her in. Only too happy to oblige, she wrapped her arms around his waist and gave him a tight hug.

"Hey there," Suluk said with a laugh. "I'm guessing that means your parents gave the okay?"

Kya stepped back and nodded excitedly. "And just as I thought, they want to meet you before we head out tonight." She looked down at her casual outfit. "I should also probably put on something more appropropriate."

Suluk laughed. "You can do that while I meet your parents." He looked past her towards the temple. "Shall we?"

"Absolutely," Kya responded. Hooking her arm with his, they made their way inland.

"And you thought your father would reject the idea out of hand," Suluk said teasingly.

Kya shrugged. "I honestly didn't think my dad would go for it. But it turns out I still got him wrapped around my finger."

They made most of the rest of the journey in silence, which was fine by her. She was just enjoying the warmth of Suluk's body close to hers. She made a mental note to keep her distance when she introduced Suluk to her parents, for the sake of her father's mental health.

They found her parents sitting outside, enjoying the evening weather. Upon seeing their daughter approaching with her date, they both stood. Katara had her overly-friendly demeanor on, which Kya could tell she was forcing a little. Aang, on the other hand, was making no effort to hide how exactly he was feeling about this prospective 'date'. He was standing in a more rigid manner than Kya was used to seeing her normally carefree father in, his eyes slightly narrowed and focused on Suluk in a sharp glare.

Ignoring her father's demeanor and hoping it would just go away, Kya slapped on a big smile. "Mom, Dad, this is Suluk. Suluk, this is my mom and dad."

Seemingly unnerved by her father's aggressive aura, Suluk stepped forward with a pleasant smile and bowed respectfully. "Avatar Aang, Master Katara. It's an absolute honor to meet you."

"Thank you, Suluk," Katara said with a returning bow. Aang also bowed, his glare continuously steady. "We are _both_ pleased to meet you."

There was a couple moments of tense silence before Kya clapped her hands together. "Well, you guys get to know each other. I'm going to get dressed." She quickly turned and ran off to her room, hoping she wouldn't come back to Suluk's dead body.

Once their daughter had disappeared from sight, Katara turned to Suluk with a hesitant smile. "So, Suluk... you're in school with Kya, correct?"

Suluk nodded. "Yes, Ma'am. We have History and Arithmetic together."

"That's wonderful! Do you like those classes?"

"I'm not a huge fan of Arithmetic. But I do like History."

"Really?" Katara glanced at her husband, hoping he'd relax. However, he seemed perfectly content to stand there as intimidatingly as possible. "What are you guys studying right now?"

"We just got finished reviewing the Harmony Restoration Movement. Now we're getting into the founding of Republic City."

Katara laughed. "'_History_'. That was only about twenty years ago..."

Kya was running back, a bit slower now that she was wearing a dress. This was her favorite, long and sleek, a mixture of dark blue and orange. This dress was specifically designed to represent her parentage. She liked it not only because it was gorgeous and made her look elegant, but because she was able to show off her bi-cultural heritage.

Suluk turned and smiled as she approached. He held a hand out, which Kya took graciously. "You look beautiful."

"Do you mean to imply that she _doesn't_ look beautiful otherwise?" Aang asked cheekily.

"_Dad!_" Kya admonished.

Suluk laughed. "It's okay, Kya. He's your father. And fathers have to defend their daughter's honor."

"I think you'll find that Kya can defend her own honor," Aang snapped.

Suluk looked at Kya with a smile. "_That_ I can believe."

"Well, then!" Katara quickly interjected, giving Aang a pointed look. "You kids have fun. Kya, be back before midnight or I'll send your father out to look for you."

Kya grimaced at the thought of her father tearing up the city to find her. "Don't worry, I'll be home by then." Giving Suluk a smile, she wrapped her arms around his and they made their way back down to the dock.

As they shrank into the distance, Katara turned to Aang, arms crossed. Seeing his wife's expression, Aang closed his eyes and sighed. "I tried, okay?"

Katara nodded. "You actually behaved yourself better than I thought you would."

Aang gave a crooked smile. "See, then? I did good." He leaned in to steal a chaste kiss.

Katara giggled. "Now if only we could get rid of Bumi and Tenzin. Then we'd have the whole evening to ourselves."

At the mention of their sons, Aang stiffened a little. "Speaking of which, we should probably check on them. It doesn't take _that_ long to clean and feed the bison. And knowing Bumi, he's getting Tenzin in trouble."

Katara scoffed. "You know, Tenzin _is_ capable of getting trouble all on his own."

Aang sighed. "I'd be _happy_ if Tenzin managed to cause his own trouble. That boy is too serious for his own good."

"Just because _you're_ a perpetual child doesn't mean our children have to be. You have Kya and Bumi. I'm personally grateful for a child who doesn't have the personality of an airbender."

"What's wrong with airbender personalities?" Aang asked indignantly.

"The fact that I live with _three_ of them," she said, tapping his chest. "I'll go check on Bumi and Tenzin. You have that report to work on for Sokka."

* * *

Each of the four waterbenders arched their arms and spun their respective streams of water in symmetric twisting spirals.

Kya watched in amazement. Their fine control, their ability to stay completely in sync through their complicated routines... It was impressive. It reminded her of her parents. Sometimes, when they thought their children were tucked away in bed, they would casually run through their waterbending katas. They moved so fluidly together, the water glistening in the moonlight... It was always a beautiful sight.

She felt a warm hand grasp hers and she turned to see Suluk looking at her. He gave a small smile before returning his attention to the show.

Kya smiled to herself. She also returned her gaze to the stage, but she wasn't really watching. All at once, she was thinking about a future. A possible future with Suluk. He was a good man, with status and skill. She could imagine a house on the edge of Republic City, living happily with children. Perhaps the two of them would also waterbend romantically in Yue's light.

The waterbenders on stage swayed in unison, the separate streams of water uniting into a large ribbon of water that circled through the air and flowed over the audience.

* * *

After putting Bumi and Tenzin to bed, Katara kissed Aang goodnight. "I'm tired. Good luck with the rest of the report."

Aang smiled. "Thanks, love. I'll try to be to bed soon." He gave her another quick kiss.

So there he sat, at his desk in the Air Temple, working on his report on the current status of the Fire Nation. He had gotten back from visiting Zuko a week ago and he had yet to give Sokka the full details. Since Sokka had become the Chair of the United Republic Council, he needed to be more up to date on the current events of the whole world.

Suddenly there was a frantic knocking on the main door of the temple. "Avatar! Avatar Aang! Are you in there!?"

With a small frown, Aang stood and briskly walked to the main door. He lifted the lock and opened the door, revealing a young man in Water Tribe clothing. "Oh thank goodness!" the man said. "I saw the light on through the window and hoped you'd be in here...!"

"Calm down..." Aang stepped out of the temple and closed the door behind him. "What's your name and what's the matter?"

"My name is Thorruk. Councilman Sokka wants to speak with you. He says it's urgent."

Aang frowned. His ability to detect lies may not be nearly as fine tuned as Toph's, but he could still feel the boy's quickened heartbeat as he spoke. His name was Thorruk, but he was lying about Sokka. Which led Aang to wonder why in spirits' name would he be lying about such a thing. "Councilman Sokka is still in City Hall? At this time of night?"

"Yes, sir," Thorruk said, "He's been working hard on some issue or another. I'm not sure of the details but he sent me to get you. He wants to see you right away."

More lies. But it wasn't just lies. The boy was nervous. Frightened, perhaps? Maybe someone was blackmailing him. Using him to lure Aang into some sort of trap. "Are you alright...?" Aang asked carefully, wanting to give Thorruk a chance to ask for help.

Thorruk frowned. "I'm fine, sir. I'm just out of breath from trying to get here as fast as possible."

He was telling the truth, but obviously not the whole truth. "Alright," Aang said. He wasn't sure what was going on, but he had to help Thorruk from whomever was forcing him to do this. And, if he was completely honest with himself, he was curious as to what exactly was going. Who was blackmailing this man? And what did they want?

Thorruk sighed, clearly relieved. "Thank you, Avatar!"

Aang nodded and smiled. "Let's go. Best not to keep Sokka waiting."

* * *

After the show, the audience and the performers filed out to the main ballroom. There were long tables of hor d'oeuvres, all Water Tribe styled food. Kya was stuffing her face as elegantly as she could manage.

"You must be hungry," Suluk said with a smile.

Kya blushed. "Not really..." she admitted. "It's just really nice to eat good Water Tribe food."

Suluk's head tilted slightly. "Your mother can't cook Water tribe food?"

"Well... my dad's a vegetarian, and he hates virtually all vegetarian Water Tribe dishes. So do I, actually. So when my mom cooks Water Tribe food, she has to modify it to make it edible for us."

"Mmm." Suluk's expression remained blank. He placed a hand on her arm. "I want to introduce you to my father."

Kya nodded excitedly, stuffing the last polar puff in her mouth. She let Suluk turn and pull her over to an older Water Tribe man. His hair was grey and he wore elaborate and formal Northern Water Tribe clothing. She immediately recognized him, having seen his image in the newspapers.

"Father, this is Kya, Avatar Aang and Master Katara's daughter. Kya, this is my father, Councilman Rouki."

Councilman Rouki's eyes flickered to Suluk for a moment before looking Kya up and down with a warm smile. He extended his arm. "Kya. It is an honor to meet you."

Kya grasped his arm in the traditional Water Tribe style. "Likewise, Councilman."

"You're a beautiful young woman. You obviously take after your mother."

Kya could feel her face get warm, and she subconsciously averted her eyes. "Th-thank you. You're very kind."

Suluk squeezed her hand. "Kind and perceptive."

_That_ didn't help her blushing problem. She glanced up at Suluk's face for a moment and smiled before looking back at the ground.

Another man came up behind the Councilman, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Councilman Rouki."

The Councilman nodded. "Yes, I know." He turned back Suluk and Kya gave a small bow. "I apologize. I have business to attend to." He turned around and followed the other man away.

"Speaking of which..." Suluk lifted her hand and pressed her hand to his lips. "I need to talk to you about something."

Kya smiled. "Talk about what?"

Suluk looked around the ballroom. "I'd rather talk in private."

Her stomach stirred with warmth and she shivered. "Sure."

Suluk led her outside and into the alleyway between the theater and the building next to it. There was a couple of old dumpsters and stray papers, soaked in the puddles of dirty water. Once they were out of sight of the main street, he turned around and smiled. "I like you, Kya... a lot."

Kya smiled. She realized she had been doing that a lot the last few days. "I like you a lot, too. I have to admit... I thought you were kinda a jerk for a while. But you've proved me wrong."

Suluk smiled widely. "You are just... incredible. You're so smart and open minded... A strong Water Tribe woman. A _true_ Water Tribe woman." He placed his hands on her waist. "The blood of the Water Tribe runs strong in you. You're a credit to our culture and our people."

Kya giggled. "The people of the Water Tribe are patient and resilient. I'm proud to be one of them."

Suluk nodded. He dragged his fingers across her dress, tracing out the lines between the blue and orange. He looked a little confused. Or possibly conflicted.

"Suluk? What's wrong?"

He lifted his head and met her gaze. He smiled. "I'm happy to hear you say that. To hear you speak of your Water Tribe pride. We are a singular nation. A powerful nation. You can understand how important it is for us to maintain our nation's strength."

Kya's smile faded a little, her brow knitting in confusion. "Well... yes. The Water Tribe has gotten a lot stronger since the war ended. Especially the Southern Water Tribe. Of course, we all want to make sure _all_ the nations stay in balance."

"I couldn't agree more," Suluk said. "That's why we have to keep the blood _pure_."

Now her smile was completely gone, as was the warmth that she had felt earlier. "Blood...?" A dark pit in her stomach was starting to form. "What... What do you mean exactly?"

Suluk frowned slightly. "I mean, you must have realized how disadvantageous having tainted blood is. You know, as you were growing up?"

Kya's chest suddenly burned, breathing momentarily difficult as anger coursed through her. "How _dare_ you!?" She grabbed his wrists and threw his hands off of her. "I'll have you know I'm _proud_ of my lineage, just as proud as I am of being Water Tribe! My so-called _tainted_ background has only made me stronger!"

Silence fell, and only the sound of the passing wind and a faint chatter from inside the theater. Suluk looked confused at first, but his expression then transformed into sadness. "I was hoping that you'd be able to understand the logic. That you'd be able to see why the Water Tribe lines _have_ to stay pure." He closed his eyes and let out a long sigh. "I really _do_ care for you... and I had hoped that this was going to end different. But I guess my father was right."

Suluk swung an arm up and lunged forward, a stream of water slicing through the air towards her. Kya spun away to the side, her arm extending to pull water from the ground. However, when she landed in a crouch a few feet away she realized that Suluk had taken all the water from the ground. Suluk stepped forward and launched another stream of water at her. Kya rolled away and landed behind one of the dumpsters. She leaned her back against it and panted heavily. "Suluk... You can't do this..."

"I have no choice."

There was the sound of water slicing through metal and the dumpster fell apart behind Kya. She rolled forward and jumped to her feet. As Suluk regained his footing, Kya extended an arm and blew out a breath. _Concentrate_. Waving her arm in front of her, she collected the moisture from the air until she had a shell of water around her hand. It wasn't much, but if she could get close enough, it would be enough. She faced Suluk and took an en garde position.

Suluk stood with the water encasing his arms, having employed a smaller version of the octopus form. He had a sad smile on his face. "You're an impressive waterbender. I know few waterbenders with your level of skill."

Kya gave a bitter laugh. "Despite my tainted blood?" she retorted.

"Yes. Can you imagine how powerful you would have been without the Air Nomad blood?"

She let out an angry shout and charged forward. Suluk swung his arms forward and tried to hit Kya with his water, but she jumped from side to side, dodging the streams of water being launched at her. She couldn't help but smile to herself. One advantage of having Air Nomad blood? Her natural ability to avoid and evade.

Kya rolled under another of his attacks and landed beside him. He stepped back, his eyes wide in alarm. Kya could only smirk. The water hardening to ice around her hand, she intended to knock him out with a single blow.

She wheeled her arm back when it suddenly froze. The water melted off her hand and fell harmlessly to the ground. With a small gasp, Kya tried to stand up or jump back, but her entire body was immobilized. Her muscles and joints creaked in strain. _What…?_

"You have lost control, Suluk."

Suluk stepped back from Kya's frozen body, his water falling off his arms. "I'm sorry, Father."

Kya managed to slowly turn her head, her entire body trembling against the force keeping her still. At the end of the alley, she could barely make out Councilman Rouki and a man and a woman that she didn't recognize. The Councilman had his arms out towards her, fingers bent and tense as he held her in place. He sighed. "I always have to clean up your messes."

His hands jerked and twisted, and Kya's body was jerked up and her breath caught her in throat. Her head thrown back, the last thing she saw as her vision blackened was the silver light of a full moon.

* * *

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	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you for the reviews! They make me oh-so-happy! I can only hope this next update is just as satisfactory as the last two.**

**Enjoy Chapter 3!**

* * *

With a soft moan and a casual stretch, Katara turned over in bed and went to put an arm over her husband...

… to find her husband absent.

Cracking her eyes open, she glared at the empty space next to her, silently condemning it for being vacant. She looked up at the clock. It was past midnight, meaning Kya should have come home by now as per their earlier arrangement. Katara closed her eyes for a moment and sighed. She knew that she wouldn't get any more sleep until she knew her daughter was home safe, so she slowly pushed herself up and grabbed her robe. Tying it around herself lazily, she yawned heavily as she went to check Kya's room.

"Kya?" Katara said softly, knocking on the door gently. When she didn't get an answer, she slowly opened the door. "Sweetheart, are you home...?"

When she peered in, she was unsurprised to find it unoccupied. Staring at the empty room as she had the empty space in her bed, Katara let out another sigh. She hadn't _actually_ expected Kya to be home by her designated time. She was at that rebellious age, after all. Still, that didn't make Katara worry any less.

Tightening her robe, she walked down the stairs. "Well, I _did_ warn her..."

When she arrived at the Air Temple, she gave the door a quick knock before walking in. "Sweetie? Kya's not back yet and I think you should - "

She froze mid-step as she stared into the empty building. Papers covered Aang's desk and the candles were still burning, but it was completely devoid of her husband.

"Aang?" she called out, hoping he was just using the restroom. When there was no response, she stepped further inside and called his name out again. Nothing.

Her breathing quickening, she ran out of the temple and back to the house. She ran up the stairs and threw open the door to Bumi and Tenzin's room.

Bumi snored loudly, his body sprawled out on his bed. Tenzin's head bobbed up groggily, his eyes split open, heavy with sleep. "Mom...? What is it?" he mumbled.

Katara breathed a sigh of relief. Calmly as she could, she walked in and sat on Tenzin's bed. "Nothing, Tenzin..." She smoothed a hand through his hair. "Go back to sleep."

With a small nod, Tenzin placed his head back on his pillow and almost instantly fell back asleep.

Katara quickly exited the room, closing the door quietly behind her. Leaning against the wall of the hallway, she closed her eyes and pinched her nose. Bumi and Tenzin were still there. Thank the spirits. The only question now was where was Aang? Maybe he went off to search for Kya himself when she didn't return home on time. That certainly wouldn't be unexpected of him.

But something didn't feel right. She couldn't put her finger on it, but something seemed _off_. The impulse to go off searching for her wayward husband and daughter was strong, but she couldn't leave Bumi and Tenzin unprotected.

_Unprotected? Unprotected from what?_

Katara didn't have an answer, and she prayed that her instincts were wrong.

* * *

When they got to the mainland, Aang continued to follow Thorruk. The boy's walk was uncertain. It was like he couldn't decide how far to take the rouse of leading him to City Hall. Finally, Aang stopped and let out an annoyed sigh. "Alright. I'm done playing. What's _really_ going on? Are you in trouble?"

Thorruk stopped and turned, looking at Aang blankly. Aang frowned. Thorruk was suddenly _calm_. His nervousness from before had vanished. _Oh, this can't be good..._

"Someone has a bone to pick with you," Thorruk said flatly.

Aang's eyes narrowed. "Who? What exactly are you trying to accomplish?"

Thorruk didn't respond. "We should get going."

"Earlier, at the temple... you seemed nervous. I knew you were lying, but I went along with it. I wanted to make sure you were okay."

"I was nervous because I wanted to make sure you came with me. Again... we should get going."

"Why? What is going on?"

Thorruk just looked at him.

Aang rolled his eyes, huffing a small laugh. "You're obviously trying to lead me into a trap, and you expect me to just go _along_ with it?" He shook his head. "It's obvious you're in no danger. If this person needs to speak with me, he can visit me on the island or at City Hall when I'm there." He turned around and started to walk back toward the coast.

"That wouldn't be wise, Avatar Aang. After all, we have your daughter."

Aang froze mid step. His muscles stiffened, and there was suddenly a loud roaring in his ears. He turned back around, took an airbending boosted step back to Thorruk, grabbed the collar of his shirt, and slammed him against the nearby building. "What have you done with Kya!? I swear if you've hurt her...!"

Thorruk's expression remained unfazed, and Aang's heart skipped a beat when he realized that Thorruk was still calm. Thorruk's eyes flickered down to Aang's hands then back up to his face. "Are you going to hurt me? That probably wouldn't be the smartest move. Not if you want your daughter safe and sound."

Aang's grip tightened. "You _really_ think this is the smartest move for _you_? Taunting the Avatar?"

Thorruk smiled. "You wouldn't risk harm to your precious daughter." He took a deep breath. "You want her back? You come with me."

Aang trembled. Suluk must be involved. He _had_ to be. That's how they got their hands on Kya. But if Suluk was involved... does that mean Councilman Rouki was a part of this?

"Fine," Aang said, dropping Thorruk to the ground. "Go ahead. _Lead on._"

Thorruk stood and straightened his clothes, still smiling. "You've made a very wise decision, Avatar Aang."

"Just get walking," Aang growled.

Thorruk nodded. "As you wish." He started to walk, paying barely any heed to Aang. He didn't even look back to check to see if the Avatar was following him. He walked now with confidence, with absolute certainty of where he was going.

Aang followed closely behind him, purposely breathing evenly. His body trembled as he held himself back from sending a rock at Thorruk's head. He knew he couldn't. He had to make sure that Kya was okay. Once he knew Kya was safe... then he would _deal_ with these people.

* * *

Regaining consciousness was like waking up from a deep sleep. Kya's head hurt a little, but other than that she felt fine. The first thing she noticed was that she was lying on cold, hard ground. The next thing she noticed was the sound of faint talking, like the chatter in a theater before a performance begins. With a small moan, Kya tried to rub the sleep from her eyes, but she couldn't seem to move her hands from behind her back.

_What's going on...?_

She opened her eyes to find that it didn't make a difference. There was no light whatsoever. She twisted her arms to find that her wrists had been tied together behind her back.

"Ugh, just perfect," she murmured to herself. Feeling around with her feet, her legs made contact with a wall when she tried to stretch out. Moving her legs back and forth, she felt walls in front of and behind her. _I must be in some sort of closet._

Kya sighed, closing her eyes and thinking. _Okay. I went to the performance with Suluk. He took me out back during the reception and started talking about pure bloodlines. Then we fought. Then his dad bloodbent me..._

She growled in frustration, hating herself for being captured so easily. Hating herself for allowing Suluk to lead her own so successfully. _I suppose I was just **that** desperate for a boyfriend..._

Obviously, after they knocked her out, they tied her up and shoved her in some sort of closet. The question was, why? If they disapproved of her 'tainted' blood, you would think they would want to kill her and rid the world of her 'impurities'. If they were keeping her alive, there had to be a reason.

Then she realized: Her father.

Kya rolled her eyes at herself. _Ugh, how can I be so **stupid**?_ If they were so obsessed with pure blood lines, they would _hate_ her father for 'tainting' the Water Tribe's purity. And what better way to lure the Avatar in then by kidnapping his child? Kya growled in frustration. This was planned from the beginning, and she fell for it; hook, line, and sinker. If something happened to her father, it would be all her fault. None of this would be happening if she hadn't pushed for this date so hard. She was such an utter _fool_.

The wall in front of her was suddenly pulled away. Kya hissed and flinched back as the light overwhelmed her senses.

"Grab her."

Someone grabbed her arms and pulled her to a standing position. As her eyes adjusted, Kya saw that it was Suluk who was manhandling her. She gave him the most spiteful look she could manage. "You spider leech..." she growled through her teeth. "You were using me from the very beginning."

Suluk froze for a moment, his expression carefully blank. "I tried," he said quietly. "I tried to show you, but you wouldn't listen."

"You look down upon me for the very _blood_ that runs through me," she hissed. "Why would I listen to _you_?"

Suluk's expression softened, and for a moment, she saw true remorse in his eyes. "Kya..."

"Suluk!"

Councilman Rouki was standing at a doorway, giving his son a stern look. "Get a move on. We don't want to be late."

Suluk spun Kya around, grabbing her harshly by wrists and eliciting a sharp hiss of pain from her. "On my way, Father."

Councilman Rouki's eyes narrowed. "I trust you can handle the half-breed."

Suluk's grip tightened on her wrists. With a strained voice, he replied, "Yes, Father."

The Councilman gave a short nod of approval. "Good. Then let us be on our way."

* * *

Thorruk led Aang to a quiet edge of the club district, taking back streets to avoid Aang's presence attracting anyone's attention.

"Enough rabble that most squabbles go unnoticed," Aang noticed, "But far enough removed that we'll be left in peace. Smart."

"We know what we're doing," Thorruk said. "And we know what we want."

They arrived in an alleyway, Aang could sense a group of people standing at the end. Three men and two women. One of the women was leaning heavily against one of the men. "_Kya_..." Aang breathed.

Thorruk continued forward and joined the others. They all stepped forward until the light from the street illuminated their faces. Councilman Rouki stood in front. His wife, Naoka, was standing to one side and his assistant, Han, was standing to the other. Thorruk turned and stood next to Han, while Suluk was standing next to his mother. He was holding Kya to his chest, holding a hand lightly around her throat. Kya's eyes were open, shining brightly with tears. "D-Dad..."

"Hello, Avatar Aang," Councilman Rouki said. "I'm glad you could make it."

"I didn't exactly have a choice..." Aang spat. He nodded toward Kya. "Let her go."

"Oh no," Councilman Rouki said. "There wouldn't be much point in bringing you here if we were just going to _let her go_. We brought you here for a reason. We need to talk."

"So I've heard," Aang growled. He held his arms out to the side. "Well... I'm here. What was so important that you had to kidnap my _daughter_ to get your point across?"

"You are a curse upon our world, _Avatar_. You were supposed to keep balance in the world. Instead, you destroy the barriers between our nations and create a _precedent_ for impure breeding."

Aang frowned at first, but then his expression turned to one of incredulity. "Are you referring to my relationship with my wife...?"

"Master Katara is a remarkable woman," Councilman Rouki said. "A true credit to her people. That is... until she sank low and allowed herself to be _violated_ by your kind."

Aang clenched his fists, his senses becoming blurred by rage. "How _dare_ you! You kidnap my daughter and insult my wife... and for what? To simply _criticize_ my ability to repair this world that had been torn apart by a hundred years of war!?"

"No, Avatar Aang. We brought you here to bring an end your reign of imbalance." Councilman Rouki reached out and clenched his fingers into the air.

Aang cried out as his body moved on its own volition, his arms twisting behind him, his legs folding underneath him. Even after thirty years, he recognized the feeling of the very blood within him being pulled against his will. His body contorted and he let out a sharp cry, pain exploding in his chest. He could hear his heart beating furiously, his body twisting in unnatural ways. He tried to pull against the bloodbending, his muscles bulging at the effort, but Councilman Rouki's hold was too strong.

Kya pulled against Suluk's grip. Her father was on the ground, writhing and twitching, crying out in pain. "Stop it!" she screamed, tears starting to run down her face. The sound... Oh spirits, the squelching sounds of her father's muscles!

"Shut up!" Suluk growled, squeezing her tied wrists.

"You're killing him!" she cried.

"Yeah, that's the _point_."

Kya choked on her tears, unable to tear her eyes from the horror unfolding before her. _This is my fault... This is all my fault..._

Her father cried out again, his breath catching, his breathing panicked and labored. He clenched his eyes shut and his body whole body started to convulse.

"Stop it! _St-top i-it!_" Kya screamed through her sobs. "You-you can't kill him! You _can't_!"

Suluk shoved her forward and turned her to face him. "I said... _Shut up!_" He brought his hand up and slapped her across her face. With a short cry pain, Kya spun at the impact and fell hard against the ground.

Aang's entire body was pulsating with pain, his heart beating furiously to push his blood through unnaturally constricted veins. He gasped desperately for air, his lungs on fire from the lack of oxygen. He still tried pull against the Councilman's hold, even trying to bend his own blood in an attempt to free himself, but he had never tried to bloodbend before. Councilman Rouki's skill was much more refined and much more powerful that Aang's. _It can't end like this... I can't let it end like **this**..._

He suddenly felt a large disruption in the vibrations in the vicinity. Someone had just fallen against the ground _hard_. It wasn't until that person curled up in pain that Aang realized _exactly_ who it was.

_Kya_.

Aang's eyes snapped open, glowing as brightly as his tattoos. The force of Councilman's Rouki's bloodbending now inconsequential, he thrust his arm into the ground, the stones rippling upward and knocking the Water Tribesmen backwards off their feet. He clenched his other hand into a fist and thrust upward, slabs of earth erupting from the ground and encapsulating Suluk, forcing him into a standing position in front of Aang. Aang stood straight and stared down at Suluk. Suluk tried to shy away from Aang, his eyes wide and his expression panicked. The glow of his Avatar State fading, Aang stepped forward, still glowering down at Suluk with rage. "Do you think you could touch my daughter... and I'd let you get _away_ with it?"

"I-I'm sorry!" Suluk entreated desperately. "It won't happen ever again! I _promise_!"

"Your promises mean _nothing_," Aang spat, the air blowing around him turbulently, his body shaking in pure wrath. He clenched his fist, the earth around Suluk tightening around him. Suluk let out a strangled gasp, his breathing becoming more and more strained as Aang squeezed tighter and tighter. His daughter... this boy had put his daughter's _life_ in danger. _Kya's_ life! And that was something he could _never_ forgive.

Kya became momentarily breathless when her body hit the ground, her face stinging where Suluk had hit her. She curled in on herself for a moment, coughing, trying to catch her breath. When she was able to breathe normally and the tears had cleared from her eyes, she looked up and saw her father standing a few feet away with his arm outstretched and his expression twisted with rage. His tattoos and eyes were glowing brightly under the midnight moon.

Her breath was caught in her throat for a moment, having never before seen her father in the Avatar State. The air blowing around them wildly and the earth and stone beneath them trembling, there was no doubt that this was the most powerful man in the whole world.

Kya pushed herself into an upright position, a task made difficult by her bound hands. By the time she was in a stable sitting position, her father's Avatar State had faded, though his position and expression were unchanged. It was then that she saw Suluk trapped between several slabs of earth, his terrified gaze glued on her father's face. As her father stepped forward, the fingers of his extended hand slowly clenching together. Suluk gasped, his body tense and visibly shaking. The sound of stone scraping against stone echoed in Kya's ears. Suluk was sobbing, begging the Avatar for mercy through strained breathes. Aang didn't seem to even hear Suluk's pleas as his fingers crept closer and closer together.

Unable to process what she was seeing, Kya could do nothing but stare as the scene before her unfolded. Her body trembled from a myriad of unidentified emotions. "D-Dad..." she murmured, the softly spoken word lost in the wildly circling wind. Kya leaned forward and tried to stand, but her body was shaking too badly to support her. "Dad...!" she said with more volume, the edge of desperation more apparent. When there was still no change, she took a deep breath and shouted, "Dad, _stop_! You can't _do_ this!"

As though he had been slapped across the face, her father's expression suddenly morphed from rage to shock. The air around them calmed until only the natural evening breezes remained. His eyes wide from confusion, he lowered his arm, and the earthen slabs fell back into the ground. Suluk fell bonelessly onto the cobblestone, wheezing out desperate pants and trembling uncontrollably.

With the other Water Tribe members still knocked out, the alleyway was impossibly still. Suluk's heavy panting was the only thing audible over the normal city night noises.

Kya stared at her father, unsure what to do. He seemed frozen where he stood, his eyes still widened and glued on Suluk's prone form. She had never seen her confident, carefree, playful father look so… so _lost_.

At the opening of the alleyway, there were people exclaiming at the unexpected presence of the Avatar. Some of them were shouting for the police to be called in, others were speculating what had happened: all of them too fearful to actually approach the scene.

"Is that the Avatar?"

"It has to be..."

"What happen? Councilman Rouki's family...?"

"Is that the Avatar's daughter tied up on the ground?"

Aang suddenly spun his body around and faced the rabble, his orange and yellow robes flowed dramatically as the air suddenly displaced around him. They all stepped back instinctively, knowing the power this man possessed. Aang's eyes quickly wandered back and forth, taking in the crowd that had gathered. He still looked as though he was trapped in some sort of trance as he frowned, lines of worry and fear forming around his eyes.

"_Kya_."

Aang's expression turned desperate and he turned around again, this time searching for his daughter. When his eyes landed on her, he ran forward, collapsed on his knees in front of her, and cupped her face in his hands. "Kya! Are you alright!?"

"I'm... I'm o-okay..." she managed to stammer out, though it didn't feel quite like the truth. The last thing she wanted to do was fall apart, so she tried to keep her emotions under control. Even so, her body continued to tremble and her breathing remained stuttered.

"Kya?" Aang's concern visibly increased tenfold. He wiped her tears away with his thumb, searching her up and down for any injuries. When he didn't find any, he brought her forward and placed a desperate kiss on her forehead. "_Spirits_, I'm so sorry, Kya..."

At her father's apology, the young waterbender lost it. She squeezed her eyes in a vain attempt to stop the tears, but her sobs refused to be contained. When Aang finally managed untied her bonds, she threw her arms around his neck, sobbing into his shoulder. Words muffled in his robes, she cried, "I thought they were going t-to... to _k-k-kill_ you...!"

Aang returned the embrace, holding her tightly as he gently rocked her back and forth. "Shh, Kya... I'm okay... Everything's okay now... Shh, shh..."

Too distraught to focus on anything but her father's voice, Kya failed to notice the tears of shame falling freely down Aang's face. His body shaking, he squeezed Kya impossibly closer to himself, feeling every bit like the failed father he was.

* * *

**So what did you all think? Leave a review letting me know :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Thank you for the reviews! They make me oh-so-happy! **

**So sorry for the delay for this last update! Endings are so difficult to write... I'm not overly thrilled with how I ended this, but it's the best I've got.**

**Enjoy the fourth and final chapter!**

* * *

Katara stood with her hands on the edge of the counter, eyes closed, deliberately breathing slow and deep. The water in the tea kettle was already boiling, but she needed a moment to gather herself. The evening had been much more emotionally jarring than she ever would have anticipated.

After verifying that Bumi and Tenzin were alright, Katara spent the next hour pacing their living room, constantly debating whether it was justifiable to leave the boys alone while she looked for Aang and Kya. The answer was always _no_. Aang was mostly likely out looking for Kya, and she trusted him to make sure that she was safe.

Of course, her anxiety only spiked when they finally did return home. Kya looked dead on her feet, a faint bruise on her cheek, and a thick blanket wrapped around her shoulders, and Aang looked as though he hadn't slept in a month.

The fact that Toph was with them was no help to Katara's nerves.

Realizing that she had been standing there for an inordinate amount of time, Katara grabbed the kettle and poured the hot water into the teacup. Picking it up with a towel, she quickly walked up to Kya's room.

Kya was sitting at the head of her bed, legs curled up to her chest and her arms wrapped around her knees. She was staring blankly out her window at the moonlit water.

"Kya?" Katara said softly.

Kya flinched and snapped her head around. She relaxed minutely when she saw it was her mother, but her body was still tense. Thanks to Katara's waterbending, the bruise on her cheek was gone. Unfortunately, there was little Katara's waterbending could do for Kya's mental state.

Katara sat on the edge of Kya's bed and offered her the teacup. "Here. Careful, it's hot."

Kya gingerly grabbed the cup from her mother's hands, giving it a small sniff before curling her lip up in disgust. "What is this?"

"It's valerian root with some dried cherries. It may not be the greatest in terms of flavor, but it'll help you sleep."

With a small sigh, Kya nodded and quickly downed the concoction. "Bleh…" she quickly handed the cup back to her mother.

Katara set the cup and towel aside and grabbed the covers on Kya's bed. "C'mon. Why don't you lay down?"

"I don't need to be tucked in," Kya growled without any real bite.

Katara gave a small smile. "I know you don't."

Kya glowered at Katara for a moment before his expression softened. "Fine." She crawled underneath the covers and allowed herself to be mothered.

Katara smoothed Kya's hair and placed a quick kiss on her head. "Sleep well, sweetheart." As she started to walk out, she heard Kya softly call for her. Turning back, she stood in the doorway and said, "Yes, Kya?"

From where she lay, Kya stared up at her mother, a whole slew of emotions evident in her face. There was a long stretch of silence before Kya muttered a '_never mind_' and curled into her covers to go to sleep.

Feeling a lot more useless than she would like, Katara shut the door to Kya's room and went to search for her husband and Toph. They had yet to give her any details of the night's events and she was determined to get the full picture.

It took some hunting, but she eventually found Aang standing on the balcony that was attached to their bedroom. He was leaning forward, his knuckles white as he squeezed the railing tightly, staring blankly out at the sea.

Wrapping her robe tighter around her, Katara stepped onto the balcony with her husband. "Where's Toph?"

"She had to go," Aang said, his voice strained. "Apparently Councilman Rouki escaped custody."

Katara gripped Aang's arm. "The Councilman?"

Aang nodded, eyes still fixed at some distant point over the water. "Apparently they didn't restrain him properly and he was able to bloodbend his way out." He shook his head. "I don't know what's more despicable: the fact that he's a bloodbender or the fact that he left his family behind."

Katara's blood froze. _Bloodbending?_ She didn't have to look at the night sky to realize that it was a full moon tonight. She gripped Aang's arm. "You have to tell me what happened tonight."

Aang closed his eyes and sighed. "What happened is that Suluk buttered up our daughter and used her as bait to lure me in. Then his father tried to kill me."

When Aang didn't continue, Katara squeezed his arm. "Why?"

"_Why?_ For one of the thousands of reasons people around the world want to kill me everyday!" He let go of the railing and turned around to face his wife. "Because he disapproves with how I dealt with the reconstruction. Because of how I believe that the barriers between nations shouldn't be so rigid. Because I've had _children_ with the love of my life!"

Katara's eyes widened. "Is Councilman Rouki a Water Tribe Supremacist?"

"Apparently," Aang growled. "And now he's escaped. A bloodbending supremacist running through the city unchecked..."

"Well, Councilman Rouki is so recognizable to the public, it's not like he's going to be able to do much without getting caught…" Katara leaned forward and gasped Aang's hands. "But you and Kya are alright. And right now, that's all _I_ care about."

"Mmm." Aang kept his eyes glued on Katara's hands, refusing to meet her gaze.

"Sweetie…?" Katara said softly. "Is something else on your mind?"

The airbender let out a self-deprecating snort. For several moments, he didn't say anything, rubbing his thumbs across the backs of Katara's hands. Then, he closed his eyes and shook his head. "The Councilman tried to kill me… And he could have very well succeeded."

Another moment of silence. "But…?" Katara encouraged.

Aang's jaw stiffed as he clenched his teeth. "Suluk hurt Kya… I _felt_ it. And I became so consumed with rage that I lost control." His eyes began to glisten and he looked away from Katara. "I tried to kill him. I _would_ have killed him... had Kya not stopped me."

Katara felt numb at first, the magnitude of her husband's statement taking a moment to process. Then, she kept herself outwardly unchanged. At this point, Aang was beyond upset and she wouldn't be able to help him if she started to fall apart too. "Aang, you _know_ your emotions tend to get away from you when you're in the Avatar State." The airbender let out a sharp bark of laughter in response. "Why are you laughing?" Katara asked.

Aang let go of Katara's hands and stepped back, smiling half-heartedly. "I wasn't _in_ the Avatar State," he said bitterly. "I mean, I was at first… but when I had Suluk in my grasp, when I was slowly squeezing the life out of him… I was completely myself." He looked back out at the sea. "I have no excuse."

Trembling slightly, but still able to keep her calm demeanor, Katara said softly, "Aang… it's completely understandable…"

"I wouldn't kill _Ozai_!" Aang nearly screamed, startling Katara. "And he was responsible for the death of _millions_ of people! Almost killing that boy tonight is inexcusable!"

Katara grabbed her husband's shoulders, squeezing them hard. "Listen to me, Aang, and answer me this. And _don't_ lie, because I _will_ know." She pulled him closer and softened her voice. "Do you love me nearly as much as you love our children?"

Aang was taken aback. "Katara... I think you're _vastly_ underestimating how much I care for you..."

"And you're underestimating the power of blood!" Katara said earnestly. "I _know_ how much you care for me. But Kya is your _child_. Your flesh and blood. And _that_ means more than you realize!"

Aang held Katara's gaze for a moment, and Katara could tell he was mulling over her words. But a moment later, he closed his eyes and shook his head. "It's still no excuse. There is _no_ excuse for killing."

"But you _didn't_ kill _anyone_!" Katara said exasperatedly.

Aang shook his head again, turned around, and grabbed his glider that was leaning against the balcony railing. "I'm sorry. I need to think."

"Aang, wait!" But before Katara knew it, her husband had opened his glider and taken off from the balcony, disappearing off into the night. She let out a growl of frustration and hit her fist on the railing. "You and your _infuriating_ need to literally run away from your problems…"

* * *

Soon after taking off, Aang landed on the roof of the temple. He knew his wife meant well, but he needed to be alone with his thoughts. Katara just _couldn't_ understand the the very issue that was plaguing him. It wasn't a simple matter of just whether or not he _had_ killed someone. It was the fact that he had been _willing_. Even when he had been a child, unable to control the Avatar State in the throes of his most volatile emotions, his intention had never been to kill. What had made this night so special?

Of course, the answer was clearly Kya.

Aang had always been protective of his children. There was always that fear in the back of his mind; fear that his children would be taken away from him, either by illness, accident, or the many other possible reasons. As his friends liked to point out, he really was the cliched, overly-doting father.

He had been angry when he found Gyatso's skeleton at the Southern Air Temple. He had been angry when General Fong buried Katara into the earth. He had been outraged and upset when Appa was stolen by the sandbenders.

But nothing compared to the sheer rage that had coursed through him when he felt Kya's body hit the ground. It was like a trigger had been pulled in his mind. The threat to Kya's safety becoming all too real, and all Aang could think about was removing that threat from the world. Permanently.

Aang cringed and buried his face in his hands. He had felt Suluk's body slowly being crushed by his bending, the muscles straining, the bones cracking and breaking as he had clenched his hand…

Leaning over the edge of the roof, the Avatar heaved out the contents of his stomach. He held onto the edge with an iron grip as he retched and gagged, even when there was nothing left to vomit out.

When his body had calmed, he remained where he was for a moment, panting heavily. Suddenly hit with a desire, a need, to see Kya, the Avatar spit out the last of the bile and jumped off the roof. With barely the faintest rustle of the wind, Aang glided into his daughter's room through her open window. Setting his glider aside, he stepped forward and stood next to the head of her bed.

Kya was curled on her side, sleeping peacefully. As Aang watched her breathe, he was reminded of when he used to watch his children sleep as babies. He would spend hours, standing over them, completely amazed by these little things he and Katara had made together.

Aang sat on the edge of the bed, eyes never leaving Kya's face. He reached forward and gently placed a hand on her head, slowly smoothing out the wild strands.

Suluk's face flashed to the forefront of his mind, and Aang had to pull his hand away as he tensed. Clenching his fists, he tried to quell his trembles of anger. Looking at his daughter now, Aang just couldn't fathom anyone wanting to hurt her. The very thought made his blood boil anew, followed closely by feelings of guilt. It was precisely these feelings that caused him to almost kill Suluk in the first place.

Feeling ill again, Aang quickly stood and made to leave when he was suddenly stopped by a surprisingly tight grip on his wrist. Turning around, he found Kya in the same position as before except her eyes were open and her arm was outstretched. "Don't go," she said softly.

Aang was suddenly hit with the need to run, to get out of that room as fast as possible. However, there was no way he could deny his daughter anything. Especially not with everything that had happened that night.

So he sat back down, firmly gripping her hand. "How are you feeling?" he asked quietly.

She shrugged. "Honestly? I'm mostly just tired."

"Well, you've had an… exhausting day."

There was a moment of silence before Kya let go of her father's hand and sat up. Leaning forward slightly, she kept her gaze averted and seemed to be contemplating something. Aang waited patiently, letting his daughter take the lead.

"Do you remember when that Ozai loyalist tried to kill Honora?"

Aang frowned, completely thrown off by the unexpected topic. "Yes…"

Kya bit her bottom lip for a moment. "And didn't Zuko try and kill him afterwards…?"

Stomach clenching, Aang nodded. "Yes. Sokka and I were barely able to restrain him for long enough for the man to be sentenced."

Another beat of silence. "You still think Zuko is a good and honorable man... don't you?"

While he didn't think it was possible, Aang tensed further. "You overheard your mother and I."

Kya shrugged. "Hard not to. The tea didn't really help that much and you guys weren't exactly being _quiet_…"

Aang sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I'm so sorry, Kya… You weren't meant to hear that…"

He heard his daughter sigh. "For once, I agree with Mom. I don't understand why you're beating yourself up or something that didn't even happen." Aang opened his eyes to find Kya looking at him almost pleadingly. "Why is it okay when Zuko wants to kill a man for trying to kill his daughter… but it's not when _you_ do?"

"It's not that simple, Kya…"

"Why not?" she said indignantly. "Because you're the Avatar?"

"Yes!" Aang shifted so he was more directly facing Kya. "Of all people, I must always stay in control! A loss of control on my part could be _devastating_."

Kya didn't respond immediately. Aang could see her thinking through his words. Finally, she said carefully, "Would… _anything_… cause a more "_out-of-control"_ reaction than someone trying to hurt me? Or Bumi? Or Tenzin?"

What was she trying to get at? A more "out-of-control" reaction? Then, like a candle being lit, Aang realized what she was trying to say. If Suluk harming Kya wasn't quite enough to push him over the edge, then was there _anything_ that could? He wanted to kill Suluk. In that moment, there was nothing he wanted more. But even then, he had held himself back.

He hadn't _killed_ anyone.

Lost in his thoughts, Aang didn't notice Kya wrap her arms around him until she was already squeezing him tightly. Instinctively, Aang returned the embrace, holding his daughter as close to him as possible.

"I love you, Daddy…"

His body beginning to tremble violently. Squeezing his eyes shut, he tried desperately not the let his tears go. A wave of sheer relief washed over him as he was released from an unknown fear that had plagued him all night: the fear that he would lose his daughter's affections. That she would see him at his lowest point and become terrified of him.

"I love you…" Aang whispered desperately. "You and your brothers are everything to me."

They both sat in silence, lost in each other's embrace, bathed in the setting light of the silver moon. The familial bond between father and daughter was now etched deeper than it had ever been before.

* * *

Rouki knelt on the ground, trembling slightly. "I am so sorry. I thought I would be able to remove the Avatar as an obstacle…"

"You were a fool for thinking the Avatar as such. He may be powerful, but he is weak when it comes to politics and justice."

Rouki hesitated, keenly aware of the array of bruises on his back. "I think it would be unwise to underestimate him…"

Yakone stood from his chair and walked forward until Rouki had to strain his neck to keep eye contact. "As it would be unwise to underestimate _me_."

* * *

**Thank you all for reading :)**


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